There are so many film genres to choose from nowadays. Some of the most popular include gangster epics, war movies and period dramas. But there is one genre that doesn’t always get the love it deserves.
Romantic movies range from tragic ends to light-hearted comedies, and they cover a wide base. Curzon has compiled a list of the “25 Best Romantic Films Ever Made” – here we explore the top 10.
From Casablanca to Call Me By Your Name, these films span more than 70 years. Here is the top 10 best romantic films ever made according to movie experts.
10. Rust and Bone (2012)
Rust and Bone a romantic drama film directed by Jacques Audiard, starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, based on Craig Davidson’s short story collection Rust and Bone. The film’s synopsis reads: “Ali (Schoenaerts), a former boxer and single father, meets Stephanie (Cotillard) when he saves her from a brawl at the nightclub where he works as a bouncer. Their casual acquaintance develops into something much more after Stephanie, who trains killer whales at a marine park, suffers a horrible accident and loses both her legs above the knee. As Stephanie draws on Ali’s physical strength, an unexpected courtship slowly comes to life.
9. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Slumdog Millionaire is a British drama film that is a loose adaptation of the novel Q & A (2005) by Indian author Vikas Swarup. It stars Dev Patel in his film debut as Jamal, and was directed by Danny Boyle. Set in India, the film’s synopsis reads: “As 18-year-old Jamal Malik (Patel) answers questions on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” flashbacks show how he got there. Part of a stable of young thieves after their mother dies, Jamal and his brother, Salim, survive on the streets of Mumbai. Salim finds the life of crime agreeable, but Jamal scrapes by with small jobs until landing a spot on the game show.”
8. A Star Is Born (2018)
A Star Is Born is a musical romantic drama produced and directed by Bradley Cooper (in his directorial debut) with a screenplay by Cooper, Eric Roth and Will Fetters. It stars Cooper and Lady Gaga in lead roles, with Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Elliott in supporting roles. The film’s synopsis states: “Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.”
7. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Brokeback Mountain is a neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. I was adapted from the 1997 short story by Annie Proulx, and stars Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams. The film’s plot reads: “In 1963, rodeo cowboy Jack Twist and ranch hand Ennis Del Mar are hired by rancher Joe Aguirre as sheep herders in Wyoming. One night on Brokeback Mountain, Jack makes a drunken pass at Ennis that is eventually reciprocated. Though Ennis marries his longtime sweetheart, Alma and Jack marries a fellow rodeo riders, the two men keep up their tortured and sporadic affair over the course of 20 years.”
6. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Call Me by Your Name is a coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino. Set in northern Italy in 1983, Call Me by Your Name chronicles the romantic relationship between Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer). The film’s synopsis reads: “It’s the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who’s working as an intern for Elio’s father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.”
5. Casablanca (1942)
Casablanca is a romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. It was filmed and set during World War II. The synopsis reads: “During WWII, Rick, a nightclub owner in Casablanca, agrees to help his former lover Ilsa and her husband. Soon, Ilsa’s feelings for Rick resurface and she finds herself renewing her love for him.”
4. The Notebook (2004)
The Notebook is a romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, and based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love in the 1940s. The synopsis reads: “Noah, a poor man, falls in love with Allie who comes from wealth. They are forced to keep passion for each other aside due to societal pressure and a difference in the social stature of their families.”
3. Titanic (1997)
Titanic is an epic romantic disaster film written and directed by James Cameron. Incorporating both historical and fictionalised aspects, based on accounts of the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love during the ship’s maiden voyage. The plot follows: “Rose, who is being forced to marry a wealthy man, falls in love with Jack, a talented artist, aboard the unsinkable Titanic. Unfortunately, the ship hits an iceberg, endangering their lives.”
2. Amélie (2001)
Amélie is a French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story of: “Amélie Poulain, played by Audrey Tautou, a shy and quirky waitress who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better while dealing with her own isolation.”
1. The Way We Were (1973)
The Way We Were is a romantic drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. Arthur Laurents adapted the screenplay from his own 1972 novel of the same name, which was based on his college days at Cornell University and his experiences with the House Un-American Activities Committee. The film’s synopsis reads: “Katie and Hubbell are opposites who fall in love with each other. But soon Katie’s radical thinking and Hubbell’s carefree lifestyle begin to hamper their relationship.”
